SWIFT BROTHERS. - W. D. and Charles Swift, who own adjoining ranches in the eastern part of the Montecito Valley,
were both born at Lyons, Wayne County, New York. Their father had passed many years as a prominent hotel keeper
in New York, Illinois, and later at Virginia City, Nevada; and in June, 1868, he came to Santa Barbara and purchased
a ranch of 333 acres in the Montecito Valley. This part of the country was then sparsely settled, and scarcely
a fence was to be seen in the valley. But by industry and perseverance the ranch now stands out prominently as
one of the best in the valley for agricultural purposes. Since the father's death in 1880, the ranch has been divided,
and the sons now own about 100 acres. They carry on general farming and devote a considerable acreage to beans.
They are jointly interested in the oil wells which are now being developed near their ranch, in the Santa Ynez
Mountains, a stock company carrying on the developments. They also have mining interests at Fort Tejon, in the
Santa Anita Mountains.

W. D. Swift, being unmarried, supplies a home for his mother, who is now seventy six years of age. Charles Swift
was married in Montecito in 1875, to Miss Laura Pettit, and they have two children.

From:
A Memorial and Biographical History
of the counties of
Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo
and Ventura, California
The Lewis Publishing Company
Chicago 1891